Inspection Report Published: A short inspection of reporting events at Becket House Immigration Reporting Centre based on onsite observations
This inspection focused on the service user experience and the collection and recording of relevant information by Home Office staff. The report makes 2 recommendations.
Publishing the report, David Neal said:
I chose this inspection of Becket House Reporting Centre as my first inspection for a number of reasons. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the majority of individuals currently required to report are those whom the Home Office considers present the greatest potential risk of causing harm to UK society, often foreign national offenders with previous convictions in the UK. The Home Office’s contact management of these individuals is, therefore, of great interest to the public as a whole. Furthermore, the activities and procedures conducted at a reporting centre are scheduled, relatively routine and subject to published guidance, allowing for a discrete inspection.
I wished to observe the collection and recording of relevant information at scheduled reporting events to compare it with the department’s own expectations and also to understand the event from the perspective of the user.
Overall, the inspection team observed that staff at Becket House were polite and respectful in their engagement with reportees. However, more could be done to ensure that interactions are meaningful and vital information is collected. I am pleased to see that the Home Office has accepted this recommendation. With regards to the environment, Immigration Enforcement could make some quick wins by improving the general aesthetics of the waiting area and information services. The Home Office has partially accepted this recommendation.